Up at 05.00 :( I had tried to work out what was the latest time I could get up and not miss the bus (3kms walk up hill in the dark), then I realised that I might not have time for breakfast in Ourense so I decided to get up early and have breakfast at home, it was as well I did as I did not have time and there was nothing on the train. Of course I ended up being too early for the bus, I spent half an hour at the bus stop watching the sun rise.
The bus was a tad early so I was not sorry to be there early.
The train from Ourense to Leon stopped at very station on the way, and I think it went out of it´s way to find extra ones. At Leon we swapped trains, we crossed the platform and got into one identical so I don´t know why. The second train had a drinks machine:) Fortunately I was well prepared with food and drink. I had a good meal (with wine) and listened to a couple of plays on my new smart phone that I haven´t got the hang of yet.
The train arrived in Madrid on time and I had plenty of time to cross Madrid to Atocha station. I had done my homework and new I needed to get to Line 1. I thought this was the metro but it was not, it was something called 'cercanias', it still went underground but from the main station. By sheer good fortune I found my way to the right place.
I find city train stations such confusing places these days, they are like giant shopping Malls with some platforms hidden away somewhere. Fortunately my trip went smoothly, I had plenty of time in Atocha for a wander around and another coffee, my first since breakfast. There was a stall selling Loukoum (Turkish Delight) and Baklava, I love both and very seldom get an opportunity to buy them. I passed on the Baklava but bought some Turkish Delight, as if I didn´t have enough to carry!
The train from Madrid to Caceres was also a 'cercania', it was very slow, very hot and vibrated like hell. It also stopped at every station and arrived 25 minutes late. I rushed across Caceres to get to my hotel as I had said I would arrive between 11 and 11.30pm, I got there at 11.35, not bad. I was very pleased to get to bed.
Day 2 - Caceres to Casar de Caceres 10 or 11kms.
I made the mistake of thinking that the 'rays' pointed the direction that I wanted to go, fortunately I was put right by a man sweeping the street, soon I found one of the typical granite blocks of Extremadura,
I only saw 1 arrow, obviously if all the instructions say walk up the side of the road it is idiot proof, but I do like to see some arrows, if you don´t and you go wrong the lack of signs is no indication. I think I went wrong at about 6kms:) By this time it was a path running parallel to the road, then there were 3 paths, all seemed to be parallel so I chose the middle one. One was marked VP, as this means Via Pecuaria and not Via de la Plata I didn't think it applied to me, later I decided that that was the route I should have taken. The path I took eventually petered out and I had to climb a ditch to get back on the road. There was a lovely path on the other side of the road, but at that point I could not get to it. Then I saw 2 people ahead on the other side, they looked like pilgrims but where they had come from I could not imagine, I had walked 6kms on flat ground and seen no-one, either in front or behind. We came up to the Motorway, the people I could see took a path running parallel to the Motorway so I crossed over and followed them. For a while I could see them occasionally then they disappeared. Eventually there was a road across the motorway and I followed it into Casar de Caceres. I saw a sign again just as I entered the town, when I looked behind me there was another sign, completely in the opposite direction from the one I had com in on, and I never saw the people I had been following.
I have invested in a pedometer, I am so fed up with finding distances are stupidly wrong. I don't know if the pedometer is right, it said 10kms, the book said 11!
Casar de Caceres is a lovely little town, the Albergue is fine and free.
The Town Hall
The Albergue
one of the local chimneys.The church was preparing for Holy Week.
We ended up as 6 in the Albergue, 4 Italians a German and me, all very sociable. The only problem was that the electricity kept cutting out, but when they don't charge I don't know how they provide electricity at all.
Day 3 - Casar de Caceres to Alcantara 20.5 or 22.8kms
A good nights sleep, there were warnings about the Town Hall clock striking every hour, I used my earplugs and only heard 10pm and 7am!
I decided to be the last out as I had been the first to arrive and had been given the key, they asked that I return it. Being last was not difficult as everyone was up by 7.15.
There was a bar open in the town so we were able to have breakfast and then set off. A beautiful sunny morning and beautiful countryside. The first 12 to 13 kms were again along the VP, this time it was also the old roman road.
At one`point I saw a large bovine animal ahead of me, it was lowing plaintively. I thought it was a cow searching for it's calf, then I got a closer side view and realised that this was definitely a bull. I wondered if I was brave enough to pass on my own and decided that I wasn't, so I back tracked slightly to see if Wolfgang was in sight but he wasn't. I carried on slowly at the same pace as the bull which was heading forward, I hoped that I might get an opportunity to pass, then a red van arrived, it was someone from the farm and he made the bull turn round, then he had to pass me but at least I was not alone.
Towards the end of the walk we had to take a detour to avoid the construction site for the new high speed train line (AVE), then the path became narrow and up and down but full of pretty flowers, great for my hay fever, but a lovely walk.
a wild orchid I think.
The last 5 kilometres were along the road, I was very glad to arrive at the Albergue, it overlooks the reservoir and it is a lovely day.
View from the Albergue.
They say that tomorrow it will rain!
Day 4 Alcantara to Grimaldo ????kms
I woke up in the night to hear knocking, at first I thought it was someone trying to get in. We were only 2 in the Albergue and I didn't feel inclined to get up and check. I hoped that if anyone tried to get in they would find Wolfgang first! Soon I realised that it was the wind blowing a door somewhere, I could also hear rain. It was 4am so I turned over and ignored it. I got up at 7am had breakfast and started about 8am, in the rain. I was quite determined I was not going to walk on the road today and I new I had to turn off somewhere, I had walked about 4 kms when I remembered seeing the turn off just before the turn off for the Albergue, I should have backtracked slightly. I was stuck on the road, it ran next to the railway, the same line I had travelled on from Madrid, but I had not been able to appreciate the scenery then. The countryside looked like the west of Ireland, green hills with clouds over them and swamp/marsh in the valleys!
remains of Roman bridge
Twice I heard, what sounded like, cows in labour, it certainly sounded like cows in pain. Most of the cows had calves with them, I wondered if they were just left to labour on their own.
I walked the 10kms into Cañaveral on the road, admittedly there was very little traffic but it was still road. It rained off and on, mostly on to start with but the dry patches became longer. By the time I got to Cañaveral I wanted a coffee but I wanted a loo even more. I found 3 bars but they were all closed, then I saw the Town Hall so I decided to see if I could use their facilities, I went in and it was all dark, no one was visible but the first door I saw was the Ladies so I just used it and left:) of course I then found an open bar so I had a coffee as well.
old chimney pot on roundabout!
From Cañaveral I still had to walk about 1.5kms on the road but then I found the turn off, it went uphill, through a wood, not well signed at first but then the signs became good and frequent, after the wood the path crossed a road, went behind a hotel and turned into 'parkland' with cork oaks. The paths are very wet and muddy, particularly as they are used by cows, it is sometimes difficult to find the driest route. There were lots of streams to cross but these were crossable, nothing as bad as the 'arroyos' between Sevilla and Guillena.
There were not as many flowers as yesterday but still some including 2 varieties of small daffodils, one like the ones I had seen at home and one white one.
I also heard my first cuckoo of this spring. I got to Grimaldo in time for lunch. The Albergue is a lovely little house, my info said it is unheated but that isn't true. I settled myself in comfortably, I thought I was going to be alone then suddenly 3 Spanish cyclists turned up, then Wolfgang, so my peace and quiet was shattered.
I have no idea how far I really walked, my book said 20 my info from Extremadura Tourist Office says16.3 and my pedometer said 9.56. When I got to Cañaveral it said 9.56 and that was about right as I had been walking up the road and watching the kilometer markings on the road, I don't think I re-set it, so I reckon the 20 was about right.
The Italians who had been at Casar de Caceres had continued onto Cañaveral the next day, the 2 guys stopped in Grimaldo for coffee and told the barman that they had not been at all happy at the Hotel Malaga, they said it was dirty and the food was not good.
Day 5 Grimaldo to Carcaboso +/- 30 kms
Everyone planned to get up at 7am, by good fortune I woke up at 6.55, so I got to the bathroom first, then I had an orange and a muesli bar for breakfast and started off at 7.30.
The first part of the walk was lovely, apart from the sodden ground,
then it rained heavily for about 2 hours, but it was still a pleasant walk, through parkland, then we came to a village, I'm not sure of it's name, Argamassa I think, it was not mentioned in any of my info but it had a bar and came at a good time for a coffee stop, about 10kms from Grimaldo. From there it was on the road for the 6-7 kms to Galisteo, where I bought some food, in case the shops in Carcaboso were shut, it being Saturday. I bought enough for evening and morning and some emergency supplies, then I had to carry it! The next 10kms were also on the road, there was a path next to the road but the mud was so slippery I preferred the road. There was one little bit of the path that was absolutely covered with tiny irises, they are not out yet but in another week or two they should look beautiful.
The Albergue Municipal in Carcaboso was closed, I didn't make the phone call so I do not know if it was a permanent thing or just that day. We had to go to Sra Elena's, she only has a microwave and almost no equipment so I could not cook much. By sheer coincidence I arrived at Sra Elena's at the same time as Wolfgang. She asked if we were a couple, so I said 'No' she then showed us to a room and assured us that no one else would be joining us!! Then she showed us the bathroom where there are 2 showers and made a great point of the fact that there were 2 showers!! What a strange place the Camino is. In fact there were 2 showers but when I showered the water was cold.
My new jacket works well and I do not get really wet but it is too warm so I still end up damp. My pedometer is useless so I've thrown it away, along with the info from the Extremadura Tourist Office, I'll stick with my guidebook. I know my walking speed varies, today I have averaged 4 kms an hour, but that includes stops for drinks, photos etc.
Sunday, Day 6
What a day!
I woke up at 6.55 again, it seemed reasonable, I got up, had a chocolate drink and some baby 'stollen' that I had brought from home and set off at 7.45
Sra Elena had drawn me detailed instructions of how to get to Caparra - so I wouldn't get lost. This was useful for getting out of Carcaboso but afterwards I would have been better just going with the arrows and signs.
It has been the worst day yet, it hasn't really rained but the ground is so wet. The first 10 kms or so were through countryside, it would have been pleasant if I hadn't spent all my time watching were I was putting my feet. I got to a lovely part where the path led down to a stream but there seemed no way of crossing it.
I searched various spots, then walked back up the path, I walked on what looked like grass and the water went over the top of my boot! I suppose after that it didn't matter too much but I was still trying not to get too wet and the water was fast flowing, in the end I found some stepping stones, they were mostly under water but not too deep. I crossed over, followed the path for a while and discovered that I had to cross back over the same stream. This time there was no way I could do it so I went back, re-crossed where I crossed originally and then went back up to another path and walked along until I got beyond the stream and want down again. there were several other streams, all equally difficult and most of the ground around is swamp. The cows are often standing up to their knees in water!
In one place I found 2 dead cows, these most definitely died in labour so I was probably right about the cows the other day. I don't understand why farmers don't watch out for cows in labour, I'm sure they are expensive animals, maybe they aren't!
Then I came to a gate and arrows going in 2 directions, one way said for bikes, so I took the other, eventually I came to a road, the sign was a little ambiguous, well, only because I never got it into my head that the arch shows the direction! Sra Elena's instructions seemed to say turn left, so I did, big mistake. I thought I was only 2 or 3 kms from Venta Quemada, which I was, but I walked and walked and got really depressed, I could not understand why I was taking so long. I walked about 8 kms, came to a road junction and an arrow pointed to Caparra, back the way I had come. I could have cried. Then a car approached slowly, I flagged them down and asked for directions and they offered to drive me back to Venta Quemada, I was very grateful. They were 2 gypsy types pulling a horse box and going somewhere to collect an animal but they were so kind. after that I was happy to walk the 6 kms to Caparra, the path was not too wet but there were a lot of streams to cross. They had granite blocks as stepping stones but one had had its blocks moved and it was too far for me to step. I thought I was going to have to take my boots off, the water would have been above my knees. Then I saw a wall at the end of the field, it was broken and had a barbed wire fence but I was able to use the barbed wire as support and climb across that.
I was very grateful to get to Caparra, I had booked a hotel and they came and picked me up. I had my own room and bathroom and TV and a good lunch!
Day 7 Caparra to Baños de Montemayor +/- 20kms
I woke about 6, eventually went back to sleep and woke again at 07.45! I had breakfast in the bar and left at 8.30. I was 4 kms off the camino and had to walk along the road, but after my experience of yesterday I decided the road was best. It was a 'Nacional' but very quiet, as it runs parallel to the motorway. It is about 11 kms to Aldea Nueva del Camino, where I stopped for a coffee. Then I continued on to Baños de Montemayor. I had originally planned to stop here then decided to continue to Calzada de Bejar as the first bit had been shorter but the weather became horrendous and it just rained and rained.I hadn't put my hood up as, by the time I realised that it was really raining, my hair was wet. When I got to Baños I was soaking, but the Albergue was shut, it was due to open at 13.15. I went to a bar, whilst I was there I asked about the road to Calzada de Bejar, apparently there isn't one, I would have to walk the camino, the road goes only to Bejar. a lady told me not to take the road as it is a mountain pass and the visibility was very poor, so I went back to the Albergue.
The Albergue only has a microwave and no equipment but I had bought something, that looked like a Cornish pasty, in Aldeanueva and I have some wine! I was not going out. It was raining like it rained in the Pyrenees, the next day was all uphill and it would be on the camino, so I decided to take a short day.
Day 4 Alcantara to Grimaldo ????kms
I woke up in the night to hear knocking, at first I thought it was someone trying to get in. We were only 2 in the Albergue and I didn't feel inclined to get up and check. I hoped that if anyone tried to get in they would find Wolfgang first! Soon I realised that it was the wind blowing a door somewhere, I could also hear rain. It was 4am so I turned over and ignored it. I got up at 7am had breakfast and started about 8am, in the rain. I was quite determined I was not going to walk on the road today and I new I had to turn off somewhere, I had walked about 4 kms when I remembered seeing the turn off just before the turn off for the Albergue, I should have backtracked slightly. I was stuck on the road, it ran next to the railway, the same line I had travelled on from Madrid, but I had not been able to appreciate the scenery then. The countryside looked like the west of Ireland, green hills with clouds over them and swamp/marsh in the valleys!
remains of Roman bridgeI walked the 10kms into Cañaveral on the road, admittedly there was very little traffic but it was still road. It rained off and on, mostly on to start with but the dry patches became longer. By the time I got to Cañaveral I wanted a coffee but I wanted a loo even more. I found 3 bars but they were all closed, then I saw the Town Hall so I decided to see if I could use their facilities, I went in and it was all dark, no one was visible but the first door I saw was the Ladies so I just used it and left:) of course I then found an open bar so I had a coffee as well.
old chimney pot on roundabout!
I have no idea how far I really walked, my book said 20 my info from Extremadura Tourist Office says16.3 and my pedometer said 9.56. When I got to Cañaveral it said 9.56 and that was about right as I had been walking up the road and watching the kilometer markings on the road, I don't think I re-set it, so I reckon the 20 was about right.
The Italians who had been at Casar de Caceres had continued onto Cañaveral the next day, the 2 guys stopped in Grimaldo for coffee and told the barman that they had not been at all happy at the Hotel Malaga, they said it was dirty and the food was not good.
Day 5 Grimaldo to Carcaboso +/- 30 kms
Everyone planned to get up at 7am, by good fortune I woke up at 6.55, so I got to the bathroom first, then I had an orange and a muesli bar for breakfast and started off at 7.30.
The first part of the walk was lovely, apart from the sodden ground,
The Albergue Municipal in Carcaboso was closed, I didn't make the phone call so I do not know if it was a permanent thing or just that day. We had to go to Sra Elena's, she only has a microwave and almost no equipment so I could not cook much. By sheer coincidence I arrived at Sra Elena's at the same time as Wolfgang. She asked if we were a couple, so I said 'No' she then showed us to a room and assured us that no one else would be joining us!! Then she showed us the bathroom where there are 2 showers and made a great point of the fact that there were 2 showers!! What a strange place the Camino is. In fact there were 2 showers but when I showered the water was cold.
My new jacket works well and I do not get really wet but it is too warm so I still end up damp. My pedometer is useless so I've thrown it away, along with the info from the Extremadura Tourist Office, I'll stick with my guidebook. I know my walking speed varies, today I have averaged 4 kms an hour, but that includes stops for drinks, photos etc.
Sunday, Day 6
What a day!
I woke up at 6.55 again, it seemed reasonable, I got up, had a chocolate drink and some baby 'stollen' that I had brought from home and set off at 7.45
Sra Elena had drawn me detailed instructions of how to get to Caparra - so I wouldn't get lost. This was useful for getting out of Carcaboso but afterwards I would have been better just going with the arrows and signs.
It has been the worst day yet, it hasn't really rained but the ground is so wet. The first 10 kms or so were through countryside, it would have been pleasant if I hadn't spent all my time watching were I was putting my feet. I got to a lovely part where the path led down to a stream but there seemed no way of crossing it.
Then I came to a gate and arrows going in 2 directions, one way said for bikes, so I took the other, eventually I came to a road, the sign was a little ambiguous, well, only because I never got it into my head that the arch shows the direction! Sra Elena's instructions seemed to say turn left, so I did, big mistake. I thought I was only 2 or 3 kms from Venta Quemada, which I was, but I walked and walked and got really depressed, I could not understand why I was taking so long. I walked about 8 kms, came to a road junction and an arrow pointed to Caparra, back the way I had come. I could have cried. Then a car approached slowly, I flagged them down and asked for directions and they offered to drive me back to Venta Quemada, I was very grateful. They were 2 gypsy types pulling a horse box and going somewhere to collect an animal but they were so kind. after that I was happy to walk the 6 kms to Caparra, the path was not too wet but there were a lot of streams to cross. They had granite blocks as stepping stones but one had had its blocks moved and it was too far for me to step. I thought I was going to have to take my boots off, the water would have been above my knees. Then I saw a wall at the end of the field, it was broken and had a barbed wire fence but I was able to use the barbed wire as support and climb across that.
Day 7 Caparra to Baños de Montemayor +/- 20kms
I woke about 6, eventually went back to sleep and woke again at 07.45! I had breakfast in the bar and left at 8.30. I was 4 kms off the camino and had to walk along the road, but after my experience of yesterday I decided the road was best. It was a 'Nacional' but very quiet, as it runs parallel to the motorway. It is about 11 kms to Aldea Nueva del Camino, where I stopped for a coffee. Then I continued on to Baños de Montemayor. I had originally planned to stop here then decided to continue to Calzada de Bejar as the first bit had been shorter but the weather became horrendous and it just rained and rained.I hadn't put my hood up as, by the time I realised that it was really raining, my hair was wet. When I got to Baños I was soaking, but the Albergue was shut, it was due to open at 13.15. I went to a bar, whilst I was there I asked about the road to Calzada de Bejar, apparently there isn't one, I would have to walk the camino, the road goes only to Bejar. a lady told me not to take the road as it is a mountain pass and the visibility was very poor, so I went back to the Albergue.
